This invention relates in general to a controller which channels the flow of turbine-generator data from a plurality of turbine-generator data sources into a single data logger or line printer.
To control a steam turbine-generator unit, many process variables, operating parameters, turbine-generator operator instructions and control variables are monitored and assessed by the relatively automatic turbine-generator control system and system operators. The introduction of computers into this complex arrangement has, in one sense, eased the burden on the turbine-generator operators. However, there exists a greater necessity to accurately record the various parameters involved in the operation of the turbine-generator system. With the utilization of a computer-based control system, the recordation of the data is accomplished by a data logger or line printer. Since there are a number of turbine-generator data sources, it is not feasible to tie a separate data logger to each turbine-generator data source. Nor is it feasible to control and coordinate the transmission of data at each data source and utilize only a single data logger for recordation purposes.
The data is sent at an established transmission rate by each source in discrete bursts of digital characters, i.e., the segments of data are sent with inactive times separating these segments. Also, some data sources generate a data stream at a higher or faster rate of transmission than the other data sources.